When In German, Swim Like The Germans Do: The Middle Distance Freestyle Legacy

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, they say.

Or better yet

When in Rome, swim as the Romans do

In fact, every country has its own traditions, from culinary, historical, artistic to even swimming traditions.

The Japanese breaststroke, the Swedish and Dutch sprint, and the Hungarian medley are just some of the traditions carried on by the strongest swimmers ever.

In this series, therefore, we will dive into the swimming history of some nations through the exploits of the people who first initiated and then kept their legacy alive.

The German Tradition

The German school has historically been based on early breaststroke instruction. It’s not uncommon to find excellent breaststrokers from Germany, particularly in the early part of the 20th century. However, over time, the trend shifted increasingly toward freestyle specialization, partly due to the scientific and methodical approach to training, and perhaps also due to the desire to compete with superpowers like the USA and the Soviet Union on their own terms. Thus, in the middle-distance freestyle events like 200 and 400 meters new opportunities for victory emerged after the Berlin Wall was erected. These were realized in the performances of athletes such as Michael Gross and Kristin Otto, and later by modern swimmers like Paul Biedermann and Lukas Martens.

The Pioneers

The key figures from these years were divided into two camps, just as the people of Berlin were split by the wall erected in 1961:

• On one side was West Germany, allied with the United States, boasting a strong men’s sector led by Western coaching methods.

• On the other was East Germany, whose socialist ideology used a state-sponsored doping system to support its female swimmers, finding in middle-distance events the perfect arena.

In this East German context emerged the male exception: Frank Wiegand. In 1966, he became a pioneer of german freestyle specialization and set a world record in the 400 freestyle (4:11.4).

On the other side of the wall there was Hans-Joachim Fassnacht a multiple-time European champion who, during a study period in the U.S., lowered the 400 freestyle record to 4:04.04, setting the direction for the Western school. Between 1969 and 1971, Fassnacht was also named West Germany’s Athlete of the Year, surpassing even Franz Beckenbauer.

While the West left room for individual growth, the East engineered success from above: women’s middle-distance freestyle, less scrutinized by the media than men’s sprinting, became the perfect ground for quiet experimentation.

Between 1974 and 1977, numerous freestyle specialists emerged, including Kornelia Ender in the 200 freestyle, Barbara Krause and Petra Thümer in the 400—all multiple international medalists.

In such a fragmented landscape, the 200 and 400 became a middle earth, even politically.

The Albatross’ Age

The iconic athlete of the next decade was Michael Gross, nicknamed “The Albatross” for his unusually large wingspan. Still representing West Germany, Gross played a central role in one of the era’s most exciting rivalries, often facing American Matt Biondi in the 200 freestyle, foreshadowing the later Biedermann–Phelps duality. Between 1983 and 1985, Gross lowered the 200 freestyle world record to 1:47.55 and the 400 to 3:47.80. He wasn’t the only German to hold the 400 freestyle world record during those years; he was later overtaken by fellow countryman Uwe Dassler.

In the women’s field, East Germany (the DDR) continued to dominate, though with the improvement of anti-doping systems, it had to proceed more cautiously. Kristin Otto and Heike Friedrich topped world rankings in the 200 freestyle, though they never tested positive, questions still remain due to their development within the system.

From the Fall of the Wall to the King of supersuit

After 1989, the Soviet-style system disappeared, and Germany entered a period of transition. Yet the legacy of past years was not forgotten, and it was soon revived by young Franziska van Almsick. Known for her record Olympic medal haul without a single gold, van Almsick won bronze in the 200 freestyle at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics at just 14 years old. She would go on to break the world record in the 200 freestyle twice: first in 1994, and again in 2002, lowering it to 1:56.64.

In the 2000s, a new figure emerged who would carry on Germany’s middle-distance tradition and once again make history in both the distance and for the country: Paul Biedermann. A freestyle specialist, he became part of legendary duels in the 200 freestyle often clashing with Michael Phelps, culminating in the famous 2009 world record swum in a polyurethane suit. His time of 1:42.00 remains unbeaten to this day.

At the same Rome World Championships, he also broke the 400 freestyle world record, shaving one hundredth of a second off Ian Thorpe’s previous mark, bringing it down to 3:40.07.

The Tradition Lives On

After years away from the top of the world rankings, German swimming found renewed hope in middle-distance freestyle following Paul Biedermann’s decline. In recent years, a new generation of freestyle swimmers has emerged, led by names like Lukas Märtens on the men’s side and Isabel Gose on the women’s.

Just a few months ago, in April 2025, Martens broke the 3:40 barrier in the 400 freestyle for the first time ever erasing one of the longest-standing records in history, set by his fellow countryman Biedermann 14 years earlier. Born in 2001, Martens is a textbook expression of the German legacy. He proved it by becoming Olympic champion in the 400 freestyle at the 2024 Paris Games, in a final that also included fellow German Oliver Klemet.

On the women’s side, Isabel Gose—though more focused on the longer 800 and 1500 freestyle events—holds a European gold and a World Championship bronze in the 400 freestyle.

We must also mention the rise of Sven Schwarz, training partner of Martens and Wellbrock, who just a few weeks ago set the new European record in the 800 freestyle.

With these rising stars, the German middle-distance tradition not only survives, it is being renewed, ready to raise the flag and carry its athletes to the top of the world rankings.